Electrical detector mechanism for drop box looms



D. H. BUSHEY Aug. 23, 1932.

ELECTRICAL DETECTOR MECHANISM FOR DROP BOX LOOMS Filed April" 16. 1951 v 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 23, 1932. D. H. BUSHEY 1,873,109

ELECTRICAL DETECTOR MECHANISM FOR DROP BOX LOOMS Filed April 16, 1931 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5y wan/A 72/? V M y 7 J Patented Aug. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC DONALD E. BUS EY, or. woRcnsTE-R, MASSACHUSETTS, Assrenon o c toMrToN & KNOWLES LOOM wonxsor WORCESTER, M SSAQHUSETTS A CORPORATION on MASSACHUSETTS E ECTRICAL nETEcToR MECHANISM non DROP .BOX Loot/rs Application filed. .April 16, 1931. Serial No. 530,619.

This invention relates to improvements in electrical weft detectors for drop box loo-ms and it is the general object of the invention 7 to provide such a mechanism wherein them- 5 dication can be given prior to the completion of the movement of the boxes as they shift.

In certain classes of looms employing two shuttles which are active alternately so that taken on line 66 of Fig.2, V

Fig. 7 is an enlarged horizontal section each is running for two picks and is then idle for two .picks and wherein a weft detector for each shuttle is employed, the indication of weft exhaustion cannot be taken directly from the feelers because bothmay indicate atthe same time. In view of the fact that '1 when the lay is at front center one shuttle is moving into action and the other out of action, it becomes necessary to'select which detector shall control the loom so that the one corresponding to the shuttle which will next ;be active may call for a change if this be desirable. Accordingly, it is an important object of my present invention to provide a circuit closerwhich shall determine early in the shifting movement of the boxes which i of two circuits can be closed if weft exhaustion exists in the shuttle next to be active.

It is'a further. object ofmypresent, inven- =tion to provide a mechanical switch which shall be operative by movement in one direc- 730 tion to close one electric switch and operative by movement in the opposite direction to close another switch. Ordinarily the boxes are supported by a box lifter rod which rises and falls and I employ this movement in connection with the mechanical switch to call into action a contact corresponding to the shuttle next to be active. With these and other objects in View which will appear asthe description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims;

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is n set forth,

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a loom having my invention applied thereto, r

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end elevation of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1,1illustrating the mechanical switch,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 33 of Fig.4 is an enlarged side elevation of a detail of the mechanical switch, I

Fig. 5 is a detail front elevation on an enlarged scale taken in the direction of arrow 5, Fig. 2, I

Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 77 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of one of the detectors, and i Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view ofthe circuits employed. r

Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown a loom frame 10 having lay 11 supportinga gang of shifting boxes 12. Upper and lower boxes 13 and '14, respectively, may house upper and lower shuttles 15'and 16. The gang of boxes is supported on a lifter rod 17 which may be attached at the lower end thereof to a box lifter lever 18 moved by any approved box motion not shownherein. The boxes are controlled by the lever so thatthey are active 3' :end of the slide 22 and also has operative connection with the lever 18 sothat the'deteeters move vertically with the boxes, the

detectors always registering with their respective boxes. 7

Each detector may be of the type shown in Fig. Sand comprises a bed 30 formed of ins'ulatin'g material which may be heldby screws 31 to the corresponding platform. Detector fingers 32 and 33 for each bed may slide toward and from the corresponding shuttle against the actionof springs 34. The latter.

normally hold the detector fingers yieldingly in rear position. The detector finger 32 may have a clip 35 while the other finger 33 may be connected to a clipq36. y

It is to beunderstood that when exhaustion my present invention and is given for the purposes of illustrating one means of carrying my invention into-effect.

My present lnvention relat which of two circuits shall be closed if exhaustion is present the weft moving into action, and n carrying my invention -mto effect I secure anarm to the lifter rod 27 by a set screw 41 and pivotally connect to said arm" a rod 42. 1 The 1 latter -may extend through a housing 43 secured by means of bolts 44 to the loom frame. The rod 42' has extending therefrom, an actuator finger 45. The housing is provided with slide bearings 46 throu h which the rod 42 reciprocates as "the boxes rise and fall.

" As shown more particularly in Fig.1 3, the housing is "provided with a vertical wall 47 to whichis secured a stud48 by meansof a nut 49. The stud has a head 50' between which and the wall is located a bearing 51 of a lever 52-. The latter is free to swing around the stud 50, but is restrainedas to motion by means of springs 53 and 54 which arefrespectively to'the right; and left of'the 1 lug 55 on the lever as shown in Fig. 2.

These springs may surround a guide rod 56 which passes through the lug and said springs '61 which is connected to a wire 62.

are substantially equal so that they maintain the lever ordinarily in the intermediate position shown in Fig. '2. Side wall 57 of the housingcar'ries an insulated spring contact 58 which ,is connected 5 to a wire 59, while the opposite sidewall 60 is similarly provided with a spring contact The spring contacts 58 and 61areinsulated from their respective supporting walls and the lower end of the lever 52 is proportioned to have contact with one or the other of these springcontacts at a time, depending upon its angular position" relatively to the rod 42. As a matter. of convenience the lever 52 is electrically grounded to the 160111 frame;

, Fig. fishows a detail of one of the spring .contacts, namely, that shown atthe left of .Fig. 2. The contact spring Slis held by the head 63 of the screw 64 against an insulating bushing 65. An insulating washer 66 located on the outside of the wall 60 receives the thrust of a nut 67"on' the screw 64 andalso positions the wire 62.; It is'to be understood 'thatrthe spring contact on the right hand wall is similar in construction and electrical The matter fthusfar described of 'itselffo'rms no'part of the actuator 45 projects.

vertical dimensionof the lug 7 0 is preferably v slightly less than the amount of motion of es more particu larly to selecting means fordetermmmg relation with respect to the housing to that shown in Fig. 6.

The lever 52 as shown herein is provided with a guide lug 70 having right and lefthand verticalwalls 71 and 72, respectively, the right hand wallbeing curved at the upper end thereof to the left, as at 73, to meet the wall 7 2, andthe latter at the lower part 7 thereofbeing curved to the right, as at 74,

to meet the right hand vertical wall. 'The lug may be located in a recess? 5 into which The maximum therod 42 induced by shifting of the shuttle boxes. Y Y

In operation, assuming that the parts .are in'the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the actuator finger 45 willjbe located substantially centrally between the vertical walls 71 and 7 2 under the surface 74. Under these conditions the boxes will'be in their lower.

position and as they start to rise the cam surface? 4 will be moved to the right to cause the lever 52to swing from the full to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2. After the finger reaches the vertical wall 72 further angular movement of the lever will be sub stantially eliminated. WVhen moved to the dotted line positionshown'in Fig. 2 the lever will havecontact with'the right hand spring 58, and the latter will yield to accommodate any further angular movement induced by continued upward movement of the finger '45.

It is to be understood that the lay will reach to determine the condition of weft in both shuttles at a point in the cycle of the loom when the actuator finger will be at a point As the intermediate the cams .73 and-74. boxes continue to move upwardly, thereby moving the lower box to activeposition, a time will come when the top of the surface 72 will pass under the actuator finger 45,

thereby freeing the lever 42 so that the spring 53 may return said lever tothe. intermediate position shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

When the lever is moved to thedotted line its front position with the detectors operative position shown in Fig. 2due to upward movementfof' the boxes, the following circuit will be closed, reference beinghad to Fig.9 source of electric power P, wire' 80,clip 35 of the upper feeler, corresponding fingers 32 and 33, upper clip 36, wire 59, contact spring 58,

arm 52, wire 81 to the ground, from the ground over wire 82,'solenoid or other electromagnetic device E, and wire 83 back to the source of electric power. Current flowing in this circuit will energize the solenoid E and the latter will attract its armature 84ito'eflect a change in the operation of the 100111 when the shuttle corresponding to the lower box is on the single box side of'the loom, ori that V *side'opposit'e to the endshown in Fig. 1." In view of the fact'that'lever 52 under the assumed conditions is moved away from spring contact 61 which corresponds to the upper shuttle, the loom will operate independent of the condition of Weft in said upper shuttle, the lower shuttle alone being in control of the loom.

If, on the other hand, the weft in the top shuttle should at some subsequent pick become exhausted just prior to the time that said shuttle is to move back into action, the

boxes will move down to place the top cell 15 in picking position. Downward movement of the boxes will be accompanied by a similar movement of rod 42, so that the actuator finger 45 will move over the face 73 and cause the latter to move to the left, holding lever 52 in contact with spring 61 during the time that the detectors are in engagement with the weft. Under this second assumed condition, current will flow through the following circuit: electric source of power P, wire 80, clip 35 of the lower shuttle, feeler fingers 32 and 33 of the lower shuttle, clip 36 of the corresponding shuttle, wire 62, contact spring 61, lever 52, wire 81, ground, wire 82, solenoid E, and wire 83 back to the battery. Current flowing in this circuit will energize a solenoid E to bring about the same.

results as those which existed when the first circuit traced was complete It is to be understood that closing of either of the circuits hereinbefore described Will energize the solenoid with resultant change in the operation of the loom, as stoppage or replenishment, but the parts are so related that the shuttle which is moving into action determines which contact will be closed, and what is equally important, the shuttle which is moving toward, or is already in idle position, will have noopportunity to close its circuit until it again moves toward active position. In this way the loom is controlled only by the shuttle which closes this circuit, that is, the shuttle which needs replenishment.

The lower part of Fig. 9 sets forth structure additional to that which has already been described to effect a'change in the 100111. A vertically reciprocating actuator 90 normally clears a controller pin 91 on the armature 84 because the latter is held to the left by a light spring 92. When the solenoid is energized, however, the pin 91 will move under the actuator and the latter will be timed to descend when the circuits are closed, so as to have its movementinterrupted by the controller 91 to bring about a change in the loom. v This method of controlling the loom is similar to that which exists in multicolor weft replenishing looms, but is set forth hereinmerely as one means of accomplishing a change in the operation of the loom-when weft exhaustion exists in the shuttle about to become active. It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the use of the form of weft detector shown in Fig. 8, as the device set forth herein 'to select which of the two "circuits shall be operative will be effective with any type of weft detector which acts to make a contact while the boxes are shifting and at the time 'of weft exhaustion.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided means dependent upon the movement of the boxes to operate a circuit selector the effect of which is to permit the closing of a circuit corresponding to the shuttle which is moving into action. The device operates preferably soas to make'i-ts selection not later than the engagement of-the weft detectors with their wefts. .In this connecti on it is to be understood that the feelers do not engage their bobins as soon-as the shuttles areboxed'but ha vesuch contact. for a rel- .atively short time only intermediate the beginning and the ending of the box shift at the time the lay is in its foremost position. It will also be seen'that even. though this latter condition should. not exist and the cir cuit through the shuttle could be established as soon as the shuttle is boxed, the correspending circuit nevertheless would not be closed because the lever 52 is normally in the intermediate'position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 where it is out of contact with both the springs 58*and 61. 1

. Having thus described my invention 'it' will be seen that changes and modificationsmay be made therein by without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention and I do not Wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but What Iclaimis: I r a l 1. In a drop box loom havinga pair of shuttle boxes each moved by a box lifter rod to active position for .two successive picks and then inactive for two picks, an electromagnetic device tocause achangein theoperation of the loom, a pair of electricdetecting circuits to Which the device is common, an electric weft detector for each box, one detector for each circuit, and a selector to determine Whichcircuit shall be operative, said selector comprising a pair of coacting memers one of which is-connected to the box rod and movable with the boxes in the direction in which the which is movableby the first in the direction transverse of the lifterrocL-and a pair of contacts, one for each detector circuit, to be engaged one at a time by one of the members, the contact Iwhich is engaged by the member being dependent upon the direction of movement of the boxes.

. 2. In a. drop box loom having a pair of shuttle boxes each in active position for two "successive picks-and then'inactive for two picks, an electromagnetic device to cause a change in the operation "ofjt-he loom, a pair of electric detecting circuits to which the device is common, an electric weft detector for each box,jonefdetectorj for each circuit,

those skilled in the art latter shift and the other of 7 p operative,

' "movement of ator and having twocam be operative,

tuator movable with the boxes in a fixed path,

- positely inclined cam and a selector to determine which circuit shall be voperative, said selector comprising a reciprocatingactuator movable with the boxes, a pair-of contacts one'for each detector 1 a circuit, and a contact engaging member to hav engagement with one of the contacts at ai'time; js'aid m ember being moved by the actufaces, one to be en- *g'aged when the actuator moves in one direction to cause engagement with oneof the con tacts, and the other camface to engage the actuator when the later moves in the site direction to cause engagement member with the other contact.

3. Ina dropbox loom having a pair of shuttle boxes each in active change in the operation of the loom, a pair of electric detecting circuits to which the device'is common, an electric weft detector for each box, one detector for each circuit, and a selector to determine which circuit shall be said selector comprising an actuator movable with'the boxes in a substantial-r ly fixed line of motion, a pair of electric contacts, one for each detector circuit, and a member movable from one contact to the other by a force derived" from the actuator, said member having inclined faces which normally lie on both sides of the path of moving in one direction engaging one face to move the'member into engagement w1th one contact, andsaldactuator when moved in the opposite direction toengage the other .7

face to move the'member into engagement with the other'con'tact.

4. In a drop box loom having a pair of shuttle boxes each in active position for two successlve picks and then 1nact1ve for two picks, an electromagnetic device to cause a of'the loom, a pair of electric detecting circuits to which the dea vice is common, an electric weft detector for each box, one detector change in the operation for each circuit, and a selector. to determlne which circuit shall said selector comprlslng an aca pair of contacts one for each detector circuit,a member movablebetween the contacts to engage one contact at a time,

faces on the members, means to hold the member yieldingly in intermediate position with the inclines extend ing on opposite sides of the line of action of the actuator, movement ofithe latter in one direction engaging one of the faces to move the member against one ofthe contacts, and

the actuator when moving in the other direc V tion engaging the other inclined face to move the member against the other contact. v

' a In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature. 1 a Y g i J DONALD H.'BUSHEY' of the 7 position for two SIICCQSSIVG'PlCkS andvthen 1nact1ve for two 7 picks, an electromagnetic device'to cause; a Y

the actuator, the latter when a pair of'op- 

